Lebanese Mediterranean Environment: Petition to mobilise the
authorities for fighting fishing with dynamite.
http://www.avaaz.org/fr/petition/Mobilisons_nous_contre_la_peche_a_la_dynamite_au_Liban/?cqqexdb
http://www.avaaz.org/fr/petition/Mobilisons_nous_contre_la_peche_a_la_dynamite_au_Liban/?cqqexdb
Ecology, biodiversity, communities support..
For the ojective to
mobilize the authorities to fight fishing with dynamite, 100.000 polls to save
the aquatic biodiversity in Lebanon are needed.
It's a petition to allert the public authorities against the fishing with dynamite plague which destroys all our aquatic eco system, and to urge them to commision patrolmen to oversee the area
Over exploitation, pollution and fishing with dynamite have devastated the whole coastal shores of the Lebanese Meditarrean Sea depriving 8000 fishermen from the seaside city Tyr of their living princinple resource.
" In the 1960's, 70's and 80's the sea overflowed with fish and the financial condition of the fishermen was enviable".
Some 2000 families from Tyr earned their living from fishing.
The experts assert that some fish species such as the mullet, the grouper and the small baracudas are extinguishing for the main reason of fishing unskillfully and illegally. " We're destroying our sea"
The illegal practice of fishing with dynamite is an irreversible destruction to our marine eco system.
There is also the problem of sewage water which contains factories heavy metals such as Copper, zinc and vanadium.
Besides some real estate promoters invaded the coastal areas unconcerned about the effect of their projects on the aqua system.
" the situation in which the Mediterranean Sea has become is deplorable and things aren't growing any better."
Our petition has an objective: the one to alert the Lebanese Authorities to designate patrolmen, for a Lebanese civil protection, whose duty is not only to fight dynamite fishing but also to reinforce a thouroughly control of the coastal environment , and then to establish a decentralised corporation to bring traineeship or to finance the patrolmen.
The Lebanese aquatic depths are rich. You can meet a multitude of little fish (Castagnols, Bugs, Sparillons and seabreams) and lot of rays ( Stingrays and eagle Rays) moray eels, octopus, jellyfish. Other fish less common in the Mediterranen, as Trigger fish and the flute fish emerged; probably coming from the Red Sea.
The population of groupers is increasing in number and size and you can even get very close to sharks. Many wrecks are found in the neighbourhood and some oasises have grown with numerous little fish as well as other sea species which come back to the South Lebanese Seaside. All this diversity and wealth remain frail since the fauna is constantly threatened.
All types of physical degaradations are already in great number in Saida, Borj Hammoud, Sour and tripoli dumps. With the embankment of the shores, the illegal occupation of the coastal areas, the sand extraction due to the massive building following the war destruction and now with the intensive fishing and the use of explosives, our sea and its biodiversity do no longer tolerate being exploited as a dustbin.
It's a petition to allert the public authorities against the fishing with dynamite plague which destroys all our aquatic eco system, and to urge them to commision patrolmen to oversee the area
Over exploitation, pollution and fishing with dynamite have devastated the whole coastal shores of the Lebanese Meditarrean Sea depriving 8000 fishermen from the seaside city Tyr of their living princinple resource.
" In the 1960's, 70's and 80's the sea overflowed with fish and the financial condition of the fishermen was enviable".
Some 2000 families from Tyr earned their living from fishing.
The experts assert that some fish species such as the mullet, the grouper and the small baracudas are extinguishing for the main reason of fishing unskillfully and illegally. " We're destroying our sea"
The illegal practice of fishing with dynamite is an irreversible destruction to our marine eco system.
There is also the problem of sewage water which contains factories heavy metals such as Copper, zinc and vanadium.
Besides some real estate promoters invaded the coastal areas unconcerned about the effect of their projects on the aqua system.
" the situation in which the Mediterranean Sea has become is deplorable and things aren't growing any better."
Our petition has an objective: the one to alert the Lebanese Authorities to designate patrolmen, for a Lebanese civil protection, whose duty is not only to fight dynamite fishing but also to reinforce a thouroughly control of the coastal environment , and then to establish a decentralised corporation to bring traineeship or to finance the patrolmen.
The Lebanese aquatic depths are rich. You can meet a multitude of little fish (Castagnols, Bugs, Sparillons and seabreams) and lot of rays ( Stingrays and eagle Rays) moray eels, octopus, jellyfish. Other fish less common in the Mediterranen, as Trigger fish and the flute fish emerged; probably coming from the Red Sea.
The population of groupers is increasing in number and size and you can even get very close to sharks. Many wrecks are found in the neighbourhood and some oasises have grown with numerous little fish as well as other sea species which come back to the South Lebanese Seaside. All this diversity and wealth remain frail since the fauna is constantly threatened.
All types of physical degaradations are already in great number in Saida, Borj Hammoud, Sour and tripoli dumps. With the embankment of the shores, the illegal occupation of the coastal areas, the sand extraction due to the massive building following the war destruction and now with the intensive fishing and the use of explosives, our sea and its biodiversity do no longer tolerate being exploited as a dustbin.
The biological diversity of the Lebanese Aquatic environment undergoes more and more important pressures which are generally from anthropical origin engendering degradation and a decrease in the mentioned species in the coastal areas.
The threats over the animal species are several and left without control.
The spread of the dynamite fishing on the Lebanese coast speeds up a frightful ecological unbalance on the one side; and on the other a disappearance of a great deal of aquatic fauna and flora.
Added to this dangerous aquatic pollution, we have the discharge of sewage and chemical water, concrete wastes ( plastic bags ) and the tanks cleaning out.. the Lebanese Sea is definitely considered as a dustbin.
Turtles in dangers.
They are threatened on a worldwide scale and particularly in the Meditennean Sea owing to the worsening of their areas of nidification , their intentional or accidental catching and also because of pollution ( the turtles often swallow ther plastic bags taking them for the Jelly fish)
A research has allowed the identication of 19 sites , real and potential, of egg laying on the costal areas in Lebanon. Two turtle species, Caretta caretta and Chelonia mydas regularly frequent these sandy beaches ( the Palmier Island int the north , Abbassieh and Yahoudieh in the South) to lay their eggs between July and August . Tyr area would be very important for the nidification and the feeding of the marine turtles.
The Lebanese coast constitutes a major place for the turtles reproduction. The year 1998 has witnessed their return on the South Lebanon shores. Two among the 5 Mediterranean turtle species ; Caouanne, Caretta caretta , green turltles and Chelonia mydas visit the Lebanese shores. The turtles are fundamental for ecological balance of the coasts. They eat jelly fish . This special diet ususally leads them to swallow plastic bags that they take for jelly fish. the sand on our costal line is decreasing year after year that's why it's high time that we protected these egg laying spaces.
We have been warned after the discovery of dead turltles on the beaches about the practises of the dynamite fishing. That's why we launched this petition.
Despite the inefficiency of this type of citizenship mobilisation in Lebanon, we believe that commissionning patrolmen can radically change the situation. Besides if the government doesn't react rapidly, we can on the name of our organisation establish a Mediterranen project with the corporation of the area of Paca and others so as to quickly equip the Lebanese marine headquarters.
In order to convince the deciding sides and reinforce my request, I have fixed an objective to collect 100.000 signatures since we share the same sea and the same turtles which are on the way of extinction .
For that purpose I urge every one among you to sign this petition and to share it with you contacts by the way of Emails, twitter or facebook.
Our Lebanese tutles cross the world to come back and lay their eggs in our shores and all we do is to welcome them with explosives !!!
Moreover there is the impact of the different types of fishing which destroys the Marine Mediterranean environment in Lebanon. Some fishermen pour the cyanide to knock down the fish. They also use fishing nets with deriving links. Or they explode dynamites under water .
All this leads to the extinguishing of the aquatic fauna and the flora. When we use the dynamite fishing we not only kill fish but also eggs, corals, algs, planktons and the aquatic plants and living organisms. The explosion and the vibrations caused by the impact of the fishing with dynamite damage the auditive system of many marine mammals .
The dynamite speeds up the coast erosion and destroys the corals , the reefs, submarine grass sheds such as the Posidony . These meadows form paves and egg laying areas for a great number of animal species as well as a feeding resource for herbivore species.
Translated by Soundous
Azzi
http://www.auf.org/IMG/pdf/gaby_khalaf.pdf
